Ministry of Funny
Yah Lah But
A thrice weekly podcast on conversations Singaporeans are having but not saying out loud – politics, culture, identity. Haresh Tilani and Terence Chia consider every side, never quite agree, and never play it safe. Honest, informed, always worth arguing about. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Author
Ministry of Funny
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Jul 10, 2026
Where to listen?
Podcasts in the app Replaio Radio Coming soonPodcasts are coming to the app soon. Install now and be the first to see a whole new take on podcasts
Episodes
#388 - Son of Ex-Changi Airport Group Chairman Jailed for Lying & Grab Raises Platform Fees 17.04.2023 55:23
Son of Ex-Changi Airport Group Chairman Jailed for Lying Karl Liew, son of ex-Changi Airport Group chairman, gets jail for lying to judge in Parti Liyani's trial No apology from Karl Liew or his family, says Parti Liyani who 'lost reputation and money' after false theft claims - TODAY Statement From Parti Liyani Singapore jails son of ex-Changi Airport boss for lying to judge that family’s helper...
#387 - Dee Kosh’s Tell-All Video & 12-Year-Old Steals Bus for Joyride 15.04.2023 59:03
Dee Kosh finally released a 51-minute tell-all video in which he finally talks about his conviction for sexual offences. Reactions on social media have mostly been positive, but some have also called him out for jumping back onto social media so quickly. Why the mixed reactions? Elsewhere, a 12-year-old boy was caught after allegedly stealing a private bus and taking it for a joyride over 100km ar...
#386 - Dalai Lama’s “Suck My Tongue” Video & SG Livestreamer Stopped by Korean Police for Showing Boobs 12.04.2023 52:41
The Dalai Lama is facing a huge backlash after a video of him kissing a child on the lips and telling him to “suck my tongue” at a public event went viral. Was it really just a playful gesture, or does it point to something more sinister? In Seoul, Singapore livestreamer Kiaraakitty was stopped by Korean police for “having her boobs out”. Was she really breaking any laws with her provocative outfi...
#385 ft. Soh Rui Yong - Marathoner Soh Rui Yong is Back and Why Sports Don’t Work in Singapore 08.04.2023 1:17:50
Marathoner Soh Rui Yong is back to represent Singapore at the upcoming Sea Games again! He talks about how he stayed motivated in the past few years, the difference between sports in Singapore and the UK, as well as what he hopes to do after his running career comes to a close. Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Links for “She’s a Terrorist & I Love Her” Full series...
#384 - Trump’s Criminal Charges Polarise America & Singaporeans Do the Right Thing With Trays 05.04.2023 1:08:39
This week, Donald Trump was indicted in a Manhattan court with 34 felony charges in a historic move that has polarised the nation. We discuss the ramifications of the American justice system starting criminal proceedings against an ex-president. Closer to home, a survey has found that a higher percentage of Singapore residents now return their trays after finishing their meals at food centres, and...
#383 - Singaporeans Want English Test for New Citizens & HOOQ Liquidation AMA 03.04.2023 1:09:02
A recent CNA poll revealed that 80% of 500 Singapore-born citizens surveyed were in favour of an English test being part of the country’s citizenship application process. As this was the core of one of our more contentious YLB episodes in recent memory, what are our thoughts about this new poll? Also, we answer the burning questions on Reddit that listeners had about our recent revelations about t...
#382 - Indonesia Loses U-20 FIFA World Cup Hosting Rights & Minister Sim Ahn Disrupts Live Performance 31.03.2023 1:01:18
On Wednesday, FIFA stripped Indonesia of their hosting rights of this year's Under-20 World Cup, after a series of protests against Israel’s participation in the tournament, and several government officials’ refusal to welcome the Israeli football team. How did the situation reach such a breaking point? Closer to home, Minister Sim Ahn was criticised for disrupting a live music performance at the...
#381 - Pork Sold at Ramadan Bazaar & Amsterdam Tells Rowdy Tourists to “Stay Away” 29.03.2023 53:22
This past week, the organisers of a Ramadan bazaar in Woodlands had to step in to stop the sale of pork at some of its stalls. Is it really that big of a deal that there were non-Halal stalls selling pork at a pasar malam? Elsewhere, the city of Amsterdam launched a campaign to discourage rowdy tourists looking for drugs, alcohol and parties from visiting their city; the campaign is literally name...
#380 - Our Silence Ends Now: Our TV show “She’s A Terrorist” & Laid-off Employee Steals Snacks From Office Pantry 27.03.2023 53:49
This past week, jobs portal Indeed announced that they would be cutting 120 employees from their Singapore office. One of their laid off employees then filmed himself on TikTok raiding the pantry’s snack shelf on a ‘final office snack run’, which won him supporters and detractors in equal measure. Who’s right? Also, on the 3-year anniversary of the HOOQ liquidation, we’re finally going public with...
#379 - Singaporean TikTok CEO Grilled by US Congress & Is Coke Healthier Than Milo? 24.03.2023 1:05:01
This week, the CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, testified before US lawmakers, putting himself in the line of fire over the platform’s content moderation, data security, and links to the Chinese government. How did this Singaporean born and bred fare on the world stage? Closer to home, there was a big online hooha when a user on TikTok highlighted that a can of Coke has a better Nutri-Grade rating tha...
#378 - Debating Greenwashing After Shoe Recycling Fiasco & $18K Rent at Geylang Serai Bazaar 22.03.2023 1:09:03
This week in Parliament, Minister Edwin Tong answered questions about the Dow/SportsSG shoe recycling fiasco that was brought to light by a recent Reuters investigative report. Are the current measures against greenwashing in Singapore able to prevent incidents like that from happening again? Elsewhere, a stall vendor at the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar revealed that his rent rose from $10K to $18...
#377 - 7 in 10 Singapore Residents in Good Shape Post-pandemic & Samsung Phone’s Fake Moon Shots 20.03.2023 1:04:15
A government survey revealed that more than 70% of Singapore residents felt that their overall quality of life was the same or better in post-pandemic 2023, compared with 2019 before COVID-19. With inflation, layoffs and a war going on, is this survey an accurate reflection of sentiment on the ground? Elsewhere, Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra phone has come under scrutiny for its AI-driven image enhan...
#376 - Where is the Cheapest Place to Dine Out in Singapore & Does Malaysia Deserve Michelle Yeoh? 15.03.2023 1:08:33
Researchers from the Institute of Policy Studies revealed that they surveyed over 800 food establishments across Singapore to study whether food prices have increased in hawker centres, kopitiams and food courts. While the results between different regions of Singapore have sparked debate, the survey also angered some people. Why so? Elsewhere, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh made history by being...
#375 - Silicon Valley Bank Collapse & Paralympian in Dispute with Cafe Over Guide Dog 13.03.2023 1:11:11
Last weekend, the seismic collapse of Silicon Valley Bank threatened to spread as a “contagion” through the US financial system and send it into a tailspin. We break down what happened, and why the biggest bank collapse since 2008 is giving us feelings of déjå vu. Closer to home, Paralympian Sophie Soon was caught in a social media firestorm when she posted a video shaming Rocky Master’s staff for...
#374 - Surprises in COVID-19 White Paper & Pokemon Cockroach Discovered in Singapore 10.03.2023 56:00
Two days ago, DPM Lawrence Wong released the COVID-19 White Paper as Singapore’s report card on how it handled the pandemic. Was this report just a case of “ownself check ownself”, or was it actually more objective? Also, a new species of cockroach was discovered in Singapore, and it’s officially been named after a Pokemon. Is this Singaporean cockroach someone we can be proud of? Find us here! YL...
#373 - Big Changes to A-Level Scoring & Red Tampines HDB Scares Residents 08.03.2023 1:05:38
Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing recently announced major changes to A-Level exam scoring for Junior College students in Singapore; for example, the Project Work module will become a Pass/Fail subject. While these changes are meant to benefit students by partially relieving their exam stress, some have said it could have the reverse effect. How so? Elsewhere, certain residents have complained...
#372 - Lee Hsien Yang Under Investigation for Perjury & Singapore Airlines’ Paper Boxes Criticized 03.03.2023 1:04:06
Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean revealed in Parliament that Lee Hsien Yang and his wife Lee Suet Fern are under investigation by the police for lying under oath during disciplinary proceedings against Mrs Lee over her handling of Lee Kuan Yew’s will. What prompted this new twist in the Oxley Road saga? Elsewhere, Singapore Airlines announced a trial of paper serviceware on selected medium- and long-...
#371 - Pritam Singh Suggests English Test for New Citizens & Model Adriana Lima’s FIFA Role Criticised 01.03.2023 1:12:58
This week in Parliament, Opposition MP Pritam Singh advocated for an English test as part of the application process for citizenship or PR in Singapore. This led to a rebuttal by Josephine Teo, who expressed “surprise” at his suggestion. We discuss the merits and downsides of the suggestion on YLB, and *spoiler alert* it got dicey. Elsewhere, Brazilian model Adriana Lima was named as FIFA’s first...
#370 - Dow and SportSG in Shoe Recycling Fiasco & HK Socialite Abby Choi’s Gruesome Murder 27.02.2023 1:03:55
In the last few days, petrochemicals giant Dow Inc. and SportSG were caught flat-footed by an investigative piece by Reuters which uncovered that a sneaker recycling program they had jointly spearheaded was not actually recycling the donated shoes; the sneakers ended up in flea markets in Indonesia instead. Why is this such a big deal, that Reuters would put so much time and effort into the story?...
#369 - 2 Self-Radicalised Teenagers Detained Under ISA & Yakult and Vitagen’s Culture War 22.02.2023 1:02:34
Two boys aged 15 and 16 were detained under the Internal Security Act after their online revealed their extensive self-radicalisation. This follows the case of an 18-year-old who was also recently detained for wanting to set up a caliphate on Coney Island. Why is this happening to Singaporean youths? Elsewhere, Yakult and Vitagen are getting into a culture war, with Vitagen firing shots at Yakult’...
#368 - Roald Dahl Books Censored & Grab Launches “Quiet Ride” Option 20.02.2023 1:14:17
Critics slammed Puffin, the British publisher of Roald Dahl’s books for removing colourful language and rewriting lines from beloved works such as Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and Matilda, all in the name of inclusivity and progress. Are the critics right? Closer to home, Grab has started offering riders an option to request a “Quiet Ride” on their app, which would entail drivers needing to k...
#367 ft. Reggie From The Financial Coconut - Was Budget 2023 a Worthy V-Day Gift to Singapore? 17.02.2023 1:33:42
This week, DPM Lawrence Wong delivered Budget 2023, having promised that it would be his “Valentine's Day present” to help Singaporeans cope with inflation. What stood out most to Reggie, boss of personal finance network The Financial Coconut (TFC)? Was this the most left-leaning budget ever delivered? Is Singapore declaring war on the rich? How should the average Singaporean feel about the goodi...
#366 - Budget 2023: What Stood Out & Civil Servants Use ChatGPT to Write Speeches? 15.02.2023 1:09:28
Minister Lawrence Wong delivered his love letter to Singaporeans, the Budget 2023 on Valentines’ Day. We make sense of all the announcements, and discuss whether the enhanced baby bonus will finally solve Singapore’s declining birth rate issues. Elsewhere, the civil service announced that it will start using ChatGPT for research and speechwriting. Is this a step in the right direction, given the f...
#365 - Tin Pei Ling’s Grab Gig Raises Conflict of Interest Concerns & Calvin Cheng Shames Cash-Only Businesses 13.02.2023 1:13:56
Recently, MP Tin Pei Ling announced that she would be joining Grab Singapore as its director of public affairs and policy. Concerns about conflict of interest were raised online, and the story even gained traction and made headlines internationally. At the end of last week, Grab announced that her role would be changed to one of corporate development, and the MP and the PAP both also released pres...
#364 - Parliament Debates Public Housing & LKY’s 100th Birth Anniversary 09.02.2023 1:16:22
The past 2 days of Parliament featured a heated debate about public housing, with PSP’s Leong Mun Wai putting forth 2 radical proposals that were ultimately rejected. Do any of his ideas have merit? In the same Parliamentary sessions, plans to celebrate LKY’s 100th birth anniversary were revealed, but is there a better way to commemorate the occasion? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB I...
Similar podcasts
Replaio is not a podcast publisher; show names, artwork and audio belong to their authors and are distributed through public RSS feeds.